What kind of people do ecstatic dance & movement?Our community is for people of all ages, all creeds, all sexual orientations, and all levels of dance experience. Some prefer to dance solo, while some like to dance in contact with others. Many of us are completely new to dance ("I'm not a dancer"), and find so much joy moving our bodies in whatever ways feel good, regardless of how it looks to others. Some of us took dance lessons at one time or another, and are relieved to be in a space where there is no structure or "right" way to move. Some of us come from other movement traditions (yoga, spinning props, martial arts), which we get to incorporate into our freeform dance here. And still others come for the great music and warm sense of community more than the dancing--it's all good and welcome!

What kind of music can I expect at the Ecstatic Dance sessions? Is it electronic?In the most simple terms, there are two main subcultures of Ecstatic Dance, and we endeavor to embrace them both at this event. One subculture, represented in the lineage at ecstaticdance.org, is steeped in Bass Music (see below for more details), with DJs who mix tracks and make choices/adjustments on-the-fly. The other subculture (coming out of 5 Rhythms, Soul Motion, Body Choir, and so on) draws from all genres of music, and where the DJs/facilitators usually put together a fixed playlist so they may spend time on the dance floor throughout the journey.

​The Ecstatic Dances at this event will include both of these approaches, and we are interested in exploring the commonalities that tie us together rather than reinforcing preferences or ideas that any one approach is better than another. Please come with an open mind and spirit towards any preferences to dance music.​What is Bass Music? There are dozens of genres and sub-genres coming out of the "Bass Music" scene. Bass Music is produced digitally, with distinctive rhythmic and sub-bass elements to be felt deeply in the body during dance. Some Bass Music has a definitively electronic feel (such as house, techno, trap, dubstep, or glitch hop), while other genres can feel a lot more like studio-recorded music with added digital production spice (such as tribal, electro-swing, future-cumbia, ghetto-funk, psybient, or future-soul). And Bass Music from any genre may often include recorded vocals or samples of live instruments. The advances in audio technology over the past decade have certainly caused a blurring of the lines in music production, to the point where the term "electronic" is not particularly useful for describing the way music sounds.

Why are the indoor dance sessions barefoot? What if I need to wear shoes?Ecstatic Dance is done barefoot because we love the feel of connecting to the earth with our feet directly on the wood floor. Street shoes are not permitted for reasons of safety (so bare feet don't get stepped on) and hygiene (we don't want to dance barefoot on whatever gets tracked in from the street). Some people need arch support, and are permitted to use special soft-soled dance shoes that are worn only indoors. Some folks like to wear dance paws (do a Google Search) or grippy socks.

Are children permitted to attend this retreat?In general, we are huge supporters of family-togetherness: Oli and Peter are both parents ourselves, and you will find children of various ages on the dance floor at our weekly venue in Corvallis. Our Breitenbush retreats are a different situation because the dance space is relatively small and therefore can be very crowded. We don't think it's safe or appropriate to have young children running around the dance floor in that setting. So we ask that you only bring children who are at least in their teenage years, who actually want to be in the workshop sessions, and who you are confident will weave well into the fabric of a workshop setting. In terms of costs, teenage participants pay the same workshop registration as adults, but Breitenbush does offer a child discount for lodging. Please contact Breitenbush for details. breitenbush.com/availability-and-reservations

Is Ecstatic Dance religious or affiliated with a church?Many people find Ecstatic Dance to be a deeply spiritual experience, but it is not in any way associated with a religion or church.